Smashing Honey Blonde
Hoppin' Frog Brewery

 

 

 

Crystal-clear body; pale straw color; dense streams of carbonation; thick, frothy, white head, long lasting. Very pleasant aroma; melon and floral tones; gentle sweetness; mild touch of honey. The taste echoes the smell but with a tad more honey presence; modest bitterness beneath the malt and honey sweetness. Medium-light body; velvety; carbonation prickliness on the palate.

This beer is a fine example of a beer with honey that accentuates the honey but in a nice, restrained manner. The low ABV, pleasant flavors, and soft feel makes this beer an easy sipper.

Pouring temperature: 43 °F; canning info: BEST BY SEP 13 2024
Source: Tavour

 

 

12oz can from Tavour. Hazy golden pour, fizzy head, thin ring of head. Aroma is sweet, light honey notes. Taste is honey, sweet, bready. Abrupt finish.

pours amber with fine head - light honey smell light crisp slightly sweety taste great drinking - a surprixe beeer from a brewery that backs some strong beers

Two things to be expected with a blonde ale with honey it's going to be aggressively sweet and also dry because the residual sugars get pretty consumed with the brewing process. This beer is not bad a tad overpriced I paid $2.79 for my can. Definitely a treat if you like honey ales.

 

 

Best by 3/29/26

It’s pretty weird for a Blonde Ale to have a best by date that’s 3 years out, but I guess Hoppin’ Frog is also pretty weird itself. It is cool to see something pretty straightforward from them, just a Blonde Ale brewed with honey. Let’s crack it open and see what it has to offer

Pours a cloudy pale yellow with 2 fingers of soapy white head that fades to a ring and leaves minimal lacing

The honey is very present in the nose and I’m all about it. I’m picking up on aromas of sweet honey, toasted grain, orange zest, doughy malt, floral hops, white pepper, and light pear skin

Unfortunately in taste the honey becomes a bit much, dominating yet still not super flavorful. On the front end of the sip I’m tasting sweet honey, raw grain, doughy malt, orange zest, pear skin, and light biscuit. The swallow brings notes of doughy malt, sweet honey, cereal grain, apple skin, pear skin, and very light floral hops

A light medium body pairs with gentle carbonation, resulting in a smooth beer. Finishes a tad sticky but it doesn’t hurt the drinkability

This isn’t great but it’s passable, just a tad too sweet for its own good

 

 

 

 

12 oz can, best by 9/18/23 (that's a long date), into Calusa snifter.

Hazy light gold with a half finger of stable head. Lacing sticks for a brief moment before joining the head again.

Aroma of honey comb cereal and sweet yellow bread. Slight dirty public restroom funk, some toasted grain.

Flavor is empty to start, but then brings some lightly toasted grain, dry biscuit, then sticky honey, and finally sweet bread and light bread crusts. Nearly no hops. Largely inoffensive. It's one of the more eclectic blonde beers I've had. Still, the front brings nothing every time. It's a bit of a let down on each initial sip.

Feel is too carbonated, leaves nothing on the palate except a few starches sticking to the cheeks. No alcohol, no hops.

Overall, for its price per can it's a bit of a rip, but it's not totally terrible. Not something I'd be looking to purchase again.

$3.49 / can @ Red's

Poured from a can. Very light in color with a small head. Smells of honey, malt and biscuit. Taste follows the smell, the honey is definitely present. Smooth and easy to drink.

 

Chill haze pale gold with a tall white foam head that collapses quickly to a thin chain.

It's definitely got a slight sticky sweetness to it with that distinct honey character that even brings to mind a hint of lemon tea. The body is medium-light but frothy, where additional notes of graham yet biscuity malt come along with classic American lager-like notes of corn and even a sort of rice character.

Since their quality level is so high, they really need to do more of these low-ABV cans--there's a surprising lack of options, even on general store shelves.